In the previous article we had
explained about the java.util.Date in the examples in the
previous articles. Perhaps you wondered why we don't just import java.util.*;

It
is possible to use "import"
statements in JSPs, but the syntax is a little different from normal Java.
Try the following example:

<%@ page import="java.util.*" %>

<HTML>

<BODY>

<%

System.out.println( "Evaluating date now" );

Date date = new Date();

%>

Hello! The time is now <%= date %>

</BODY>

</HTML>

The first line in the above
example is called a "directive". A JSP "directive"
starts with <%@
characters.

This
one is a "page directive". The page directive can contain the
list of all imported packages. To import more than one item, separate the
package names by commas, e.g.

<%@ page import="java.util.*,java.text.*" %>

There are a number of JSP
directives, besides the page directive. Besides the page directives, the
other most useful directives are include and taglib. We will be covering
taglib separately.

The
include directive is used to physically include the contents of another file.
The included file can be HTML or JSP or anything else -- the result is as if the
original JSP file actually contained the included text. To see this
directive in action, create a new JSP

<HTML>

<BODY>

Going to include hello.jsp...<BR>

<%@ include file="hello.jsp" %>

</BODY>

</HTML>

View this JSP in your browser, and you will see your
original hello.jsp
get included in the new JSP.